Honour and it's Implications

Honour is something that is sorely missing in our post-modern, materialistic western culture of today. In our our quest for success we pay very little attention to those around us and the role they play in making it all possible. The same mentality has crept into the church, where we just as quickly shoot someone down for making a mistake as when we don't give them credit when credit is due.

Let's start off with a working definition of honour, from a christian perspective: "Positively responding to the gifts and callings God has placed on another person. So, as to receive the continuous benefits of the different parts of the body of Christ". All honour starts and ends with God. When we look at the heavenly examples of worship as set out in the Revelation 4:8-11, we see that honour is an integral part of worshiping God. How can God get good things to you if you don't open yourself up to receiving, by honouring who He is and what He has done? He can't! God needs to hold an honorary position in our lives in order for us to receive the full benefits of relationship with Him.

God works through people though. This suggests that there are people that are anointed of God in order to do the works of the ministry. If you are born-again, then you are anointed of God, if you have received Jesus into your life then God will use you to bless other people. The problem comes in, when we don't recognise, or honour, the anointing that is on someone elses life, then we can't benefit from the good that comes from it.

In Mark chapter 6, Jesus makes the statement that "a prophet is not without honour except in his own country, among his own relatives and in his own house" What Jesus meant was, that when people feel they are familiar with you, they may not be able to acknowledge the gifts and callings God has placed on your life and thus benefit from them - familiarity breeds contempt.

Honour starts with humility (Proverbs 15:33) and we must give honour where and when it is due (Romans 13:7). God responds to honour, people respond to honour; honour is in fact the outworking of the grace God has freely given you, into the lives of other people. If we respond positively to the gifts and calling on someones life, we can receive from them, similarly, if we respond in grace when they fail, and they will, it is our opportunity to extend grace towards them, so that when they do get it right, and they will, the entire body of Christ can benefit from this. Instead of being judgmental and critical, let's extend grace and be honouring.

Some practical ways to honour those around you: Pay compliments, often. Be on time. Be prepared when asked to be prepared. Don't break people down behind their back. Be willing to help. Be outwardly focused, instead of on yourself the whole time!